Button cover



Nov. 21, 1967 A, LEVINE I 3,353,231

BUTTON COVER Filed Aug. 16, 1965 I m/l/ewro/e mw/va A. LEV/NE Arrom trs.

United States Patent Ofifrce 3,353,231 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 3,353,231 BUTTON COVER Irving A. Levine, 351 W. Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10013 Filed Aug. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 479,874 1 Claim. (Cl. 24-113) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A novel cover is provided for attachment to a shirt button by means of a shaped wire member which substantially surrounds the attachment threads of the shirt button while at the same time providing a gripping force for holding the button between the wire members and the front of the button cover.

This invention relates to a dress stud. More particularly, this invention relates to a dress stud which may be used to convert a button shirt into a formal shirt.

The present invention concerns a novel dress stud for converting a shirt having pearl buttons into a formal dress shirt. Shirts, particularly mens dress shirts, are normally held closed by so-called pear buttons. A formal shirt normally has no buttons but is held closed by ornamental stud fasteners. Such stud fasteners are usually ornate and removably attached to the formal shirt. The present invention provides a novel stud fastener which may be removably attached to an everyday dress shirt, so that it may be used as a formal shirt.

The present invention includes a novel stud fastener which may be attached to a dress shirt adjacent the buttons to thereby convert the shirt into a formal dress garment. 1

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel stud fastener.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel stud fastener for attachment adjacent the buttons of the dress shirt.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a stud fastener having novel means for attaching it adjacent the buttons of a dress shirt.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel stud fastener having means to attach it over the buttons of a shirt.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a stud fastener having novel means to attach it to the threads of a button fastener.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms which are presently pre ferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of the.

present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 taken along the line 3--3 and illustrating the stud fastener in association with a shirt and button.

FIG. 4 is a partial transverse sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 taken along the line 44.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a stud fastener representing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 taken along the line,77.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a rear view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a transverse sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 taken along the line 10-40.

FIG. 11 is a front view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a rear view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a transverse sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 12 taken along the line 13-13.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and in particular FIGURES 1-4, a stud representing the first embodiment of the present invention is generally indicated by the numeral 10.

The stud 10 includes a stud head 12 having a front face 14 and a rear face 16. Normally the front face 14 will be provided with an ornamental design attractive in nature and suitable to the wearers taste. As shown, the front face 14 or the first embodiment of this invention is provided with a bulbous portion 18. The design of the front face 14 is no part of the present invention and may be varied.

The front face 14 is suitably attached to the rear face 16 by conventional techniques such as brazing or soldering if the stud is made from metal and by gluing or heat sealing if it is made from plastic.

The rear face 16 includes a flange 20 projecting outwardly in a direction substantially normal to the face 16. Flange 20 extends around the circumference of rear face 16 except adjacent the hinge portion of the fastener. As thus provided, the flange 20 together with rear face 16 defines a recessed area for receiving a button fastener in a manner to be explained below.

The stud 10 includes a fastener 22 hingedly connected to the rear face 16. The fastener 22 is constructed so as to retain the stud 10 in position in overlying relation to a button fastener. As shown, the fastener 22 includes a resilient fastening member 24 hingedly connected to the rear face 16. The member 24 is bifurcated and includes a pair of arms 26 and 28. The arms 26 and 28 normally extend laterally across the surface of face 16. Each arm 26 and 28'is bowed outwardly at a position adjacent the center of rear face 16. The arms 26 and 28 may be turned outwardly at the end remote from the hinge 30. Moreover, the arms 28 and 30 are resiliently biased into contact with each other at least in the space between the bowed-out portions and the remote ends thereof. Fastener member 24 may be made of a single piece of resilient wire as for example spring steel suitably, and if desired provided with an alloy to give it a pleasant appearance. v

The fastener member 24 is bent in a loop as illustrated at 32. The loop extends through tabs 36 which are struck out from rear face 16 and then bent over loop 32 to retain the same in place. This is best illustrated in FIG. 4.

The rear face 16 is also provided with a third tab 38, intermediate tab 34 and 36. Tab 38 is struck out from rear face 16 and overlies a flattened portion 40 of loop 32 which is wider than the remainder thereof. Portion 40 may be made wider by flattening a portion of fastening member 24 which, as indicated above, is made of resilient wire.

As thus constructed, the fastening member 24 is hinged ly held in position on rear face 16 by tabs 34 and 36. Moreover, the tab 38 overlying flattened portion 40 resiliently biases the member 24 so that arms 26 and 28 tend to lie across rear face 16.

The stud 10 is used as follows:

If the wearer wishes, for example, to convert an ordinary dress shirt into a formal shirt, then he places the shirt on his body and buttons the same in a normal manner. Following that a stud is placed over each of the buttons. This is accomplished by pivoting fastener member 24 away from its position across rear face 16. The member 24 is finger held away against the bias of tab 38. Next the arms 26 and 28 of member 24 are slipped behind the shirt button 42 and caused to engage the button security thread 44 between their ends. A small additional force on the stud 10 causes the thread to slide between arms 26 and 28 until the thread is positioned at the area where arms 26 and 28 curve apart.

The member 24 is now relieved and the bias of tab 38 moves it back to its normal position across rear face 16. As thus disposed, the button 42 will be received within the recess defined by flange 2t), and moreover the button will be hidden from the view by said flange. The stud is held securely in position over button 42 by the biasing force of tab 38 sandwi'ching the button 42 between the fastener member 24 and the rear face 16. Moreover, the bias of arms 26 and 28 toward each other prevents the thread 44 from slipping back out from the middle portion thereof. Moreover, it will be noted that by placing the bowed portion of arms 26 and 28 at the center of stud 10 the button will be completely covered and the shirt will give the appearance of being a formal shirt when all of the buttons have been covered by studs as described above.

Referring now to FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, there is shown another embodiment of the present invention designated generally as 50. As shown, the stud 50 includes a front face 52 having an ornamental design and a rear face 54. If desired, the stud 50 may be made of plastic.

A fastener member 56 is suitably attached to the rear face 54 of the stud 54). The fastener member 56 may be attached by gluing or any other suitable means of connecting plastic pieces.

As shown, the fastener 56 includes a flange 58 extending around three sides thereof. The flange 58 spaces the fastener 56 away from face 54. A slot 60 is cut on the unattached edge of fastener 56 back to a position overlying the center of rear face 54. The slot 68 is enlarged as at 62 so as to surround the center of rear face 54. As shown in FIG. 6, the sides of slot 60 are in abutting relation at least a part of the way along the slot 60.

From-the foregoing, it may be seen that fastener 56 is in part bifurcated so as toreceive a button thread. Preferably, the fastener 56 is made from a slightly resilient plastic so that, when the thread is slipped along this slot 60, the bifurcated portions of fastener 56 may be biased apart to allow passage of the thread and then naturally return to their normal touching position. The button will be received between the fastener 56 and rear face 54 in the recess created by flange '58.

The stud 50 is attached in a manner similar to that described with respect to the stud 10. Of course no means for hingedly pivoting fastener member 56 is provided. However, none is necessary in this embodiment. When the button is received in the space between rear face 54 and fastener member 56, it will be hidden from view by the flange 58.

Referring now to FIGURES 8, 9 and 10, there is shown a third embodiment of the present invention designated generally as 70.

As shown, the stud 70 includes an ornamental front face 72 and a rear face 74. A flange 76 projects outwardly from the rear face 74 and surrounds the stud 70 on three sides thereof.

A fastener member 78 is attached to the flange 76 and extends across rear face 74. As shown, the construction of fastener member 78 is similar to that of fastener member 24 in FIG. 2. Thus, fastener 78 comprises a pair of arms 80 and 82 dividing the fastener as a bifurcated member. The arms 80 and 82 are made of a resilient wire material and fastened by such means as cement or 4 solder to the flange 76. As shown, the arms and 82 extend across rear face 74 and are spaced away from it.

The arms 80 and 82 include outwardly curved portions 84 and 86 surrounding the center of rear face 74. The ends of arms 80 and 82 remote from the portion attached to flange 76 are positioned so as to be in contact.

The use of the stud 79 should be apparent from the foregoing description of stud 10. The button will be received within the recess defined by flange 76 and its threads will extend through the portion defined by curved sections 84 and 86. Arms 80 and 82 are made of a resilient material and hence may be bent outwardly against their bias for insertion and removal of the stud 70. Normally, the arms 80 and 82 extend as shown in FIG. 10 and will therefore clamp the button against rear face 74.

Referring now to FIGURES l1, l2 and 13, there is shown a fourth embodiment of the present invention designated generally as 90.

The stud 90 includes a front face 92 and a rear face 94. The front face may have an ornamental design thereon.

The stud 98 is held in position by means of the fastener 96. As best shown in FIG. 12, the fastener 96 includes a pair of arms 98 and 100 made of a resilient wire material such as spring steel. The arms extend across the rear face 94 of stud 9t and are bent outwardly about the middle portion thereof. Arms 98 and 100 have lateral extensions 102 and 184 adjacent one end thereof. The extensions 182 and 104 include inwardly extending projections such as projection 106 shown in FIG. 13. The projections are received within holes in rear face 94 and soldered or otherwise cemented therein. The remote unattached ends of arms 88 and 100 are in contacting relation as shown in FIG. 12. Moreover, arms 98 and 100 are curved outwardly around the middle portion of rear face 94.

As thus constructed, the fastener 96 spaces arms 98 and 100 away from the rear face 84. The resilient nature of arms 98 and 188 permits them to be used in substantially the same way as stud 70.

The present invention may be embodied in other spe' cific forms without departing from the spirit or essential atributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claim, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

A button cover for attachment adjacent the button fastener of a shirt comprising a cover body, said body having an ornamental front face and a rear face, a fastener depending from said rear face, said fastener including a bifurcated wire member extending across said rear face, said bifurcated member defining a slot therebetween for receiving the thread fastener of a shirt button, said slot being open at one end and closed at the other end, a portion of said slot adjacent the center of said rear face being enlarged, said closed end forming a loop defining a generally rectangular shaped opening, a portion of said wire member directly in line with said slot provided with a flat surface, the edge of which protrudes into said rectangular shaped opening, said rear face provided with at least two wire receiving members for holding said wire in a hinged relationship, said members shape-d to retain said wire on each side of said flat surface, and said rear face further provided with a wire retaining member adapted to engage the portion of said flat surface on said wire which protrudes into said rectangular space to thereby urge said wire toward said rear face, said wire andsaid rear face being in a spaced relationship large enough to receive a shirt button between said bifurcated member and said rear face, in a removably attached relationship by means of the wire retaining member.

1 (References on following page) 5 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 FOREIGN PATENTS 527,046 3/ 1954 Belgium. 657,867 2/1963 Canada. 607,884 1/ 19-35 Germany.

OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner.

E. SIMONSEN, Assistant Examiner. 

